In the past, articles which are on display such as antique automobiles or the like have generated considerable interest from the public, particularly when the automobiles have been placed on display such as at a public showing. In the absence of a barrier around a display article such as a vehicle, spectators often contact the vehicle and, in some cases, enter the vehicle for closer inspection. Unfortunately even the most innocent and well meaning of observers can cause inadvertent damage to the display vehicle or other article. Frequently, items carried on a spectator's person such as a belt buckle, ring or the like or an object carried by the spectator, such as a lady's purse, scratch or otherwise mar the finish of the display article causing substantially repair expenses to the owner.
Some efforts have been made to reduce spectator damage by placing barriers about the article being displayed, some of these barriers have been designed to include upright standards which are placed around and in spaced relationship to the article. Ropes or the like are then attached to the standards. Normally, such standards are provided with a relatively large heavy base which is used to steady the standards when they are used on hard surfaces such as concrete, asphalt paving or the like; additionally such standards may have an eye or ring at the upper end for receiving a barrier member such a rope. When an article such as an automobile is being displayed on a grass plot or dirt, the upright posts or standards may include spikes which can be driven into the earth. Such upright standards, particularly those having heavy base members, normally are cumbersome and unwieldy and are difficult to transport from place to place, further such free standing standards are subject to being upset or knocked down thereby possibly causing damage to the display article.
Some efforts have been made to alleviate the problems associated with displaying articles such as antique automobiles as for example in U.S. Pat. No. 3,782,766 to Teel in which a plurality of nonadjustable upright members have been provided. With this structure the lower ends of the upright members are clamped directly to the vehicle, such as to the bumpers or the like and the upper ends of the upright members are provided with eyes through which a rope may be passed. As this type of structure is not adjustable as to height or spacing from the automobile, the resultant placement of the rope barrier will vary depending upon the type and size of the article to which it is attached. Additionally, any stress impartial to the barrier member by spectators will be conveyed directly to the part of the vehicle to which the standards are clamped and may cause damage thereto.
Other examples of structures which provide protective coverings for vehicles and the like include the U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,034,493 to Sonnenberg; 2,480,509 Ripley; 2,508,757 Gray; 2,571,362 Hervey, 4,154,254 Spencer; and 4,164,233 McAndrew.